MATCH PREVIEW: BARNET F.C

Currently in 15th in the table, Barnet suffered a 3-1 defeat at home to Hartlepool United at the weekend and are currently six points ahead of the Exiles on 43 points. Their top scorer John Akinde scored twice against Newport on Boxing Day and has 12 league goals so far this season. Michael Gash has 7 in all competitions and Bira Dembele and Andy Yiadom have four each.

Form Guide

Newport County – LWDLW WDWLW 17 points

Barnet – LWD DWLWDWL 15 points

Upcoming Milestones

Scott Barrow – 1 appearance for 175 professional appearances

Medy Elito – 1 goal for 25 professional goals

Dean Morgan – 4 goals for 75 professional goals

Tom Meechan – 1 goal for 75 professional goals

Mark Byrne – 5 appearances for 300 professional appearances

He Played for Both

Mark Byrne – The current Newport County captain made 163 appearances for Barnet scoring 19 goals in the process before arriving at Rodney Parade where to date his made 82 appearances, finding the back of the net on seven occasions.

Barnet’s record against County

Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 Goals For 2 Goals Against 1

Saturday 26th December: Barnet 2 – 0 Newport County

Saturday 5th December: Barnet 0 – 1 Newport County (Boden 59’)

Last meeting

It was a Boxing Day defeat for Newport when they travelled to Barnet just three weeks after their success over them in the FA Cup second round. The Exiles had Medy Elito sent off eight minutes into the second half giving the home side a penalty which John Akinde slotted home, his first of two that afternoon that gave Barnet the 2-0 victory.

Last time out

Another Scott Boden goal gave Newport a 1-0 win against Wycombe Wanderers which lifted the Exiles to 19th in the league and gave them an 11 point cushion to the bottom two. With this week’s fixture against Barnet being one of County’s two games in hand on the rest of the league, a win would see them climb two places to 17th and above Notts County before the difficult trip to Fratton Park at the weekend.

The Man in charge

The referee for this fixture is Lee Swabey with his assistants Wayne Barratt and Mark Howes, the fourth official is Ronald Ganfield. Swabey has taken charge of 24 games this season handing out 76 yellow card and 9 red and took charge of four Newport games in the 2012/13 season, all at home, against Lincoln, Hyde, Barrow and Telford.